On Saturday, November 12, at its Marsala cellars, Donnafugata will be toasting the new vintage with a preview tasting of the 2011 mono-varietals. The single grape varieties will be the focus of an interactive sensory workshop with a blind tasting as final exam. Accompanying the new wines will be traditional autumn fare and a walk-about performance by the Musicanti.
Donnafugata opens the doors of its historic Marsala cellars to wine-lovers and wine tourists for the second edition of the San Martino in Cantina (St. Martin in the cellar) event. On Saturday, November 12 from 7 to 10 p.m. the Sicilian winery will be toasting the quality of the new vintage with a rich program of wine, food and traditional music that is updated in formula but as convivial and merry as the first edition.
During the cellar tour there will be a preview tasting of a mono-varietal from the 2011 grape harvest drawn right from the vat. A privilege generally reserved to the insiders unveiling the company’s secrets. In the Sala delle Botti guests will participate in an interactive sensory workshop: a guided tasting, with territory and grape files for the different varieties grown at Contessa Entellina, Sambuca, Santa Margherita Belice and Pantelleria. Tasting wines still “raw” will make it possible to appreciate the typical varietal notes of grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Nero D’Avola, Petit Verdot, Ansonica, Catarratto, Chardonnay, dry Zibibbo, Zibibbo Passito (future Ben Ryé).
And for lovers of challenges, this edition of San Martino offers the chance to take an entertaining and “extreme” test: “What’s the grape variety? Test your inner enologist!”: a blind tasting in which contestants will have to identify the 5 mono-varietals tasted at the workshop. Winners will be awarded the title of “DOC Enologist-Donnafugata 2011”.
Accompanying the new wine will be refined Sicilian folk music played by the Musicanti and an autumnal “schiticchio” (feast) featuring pork, in the form of prized S. Angelo di Brollo salami and Nebrodi cured pork neck; freshly made ricotta; fava bean macco (soup), an assortment of cheeses ranging from Vastedda del Belice to Girgentana goat cheese; fresh-roasted chestnuts and typical sweets like frutta martorana (marzipan fruits), colored on site, and San Martino biscuits, to crunch or dip in wine.
100 Corks and Uncork – Don’t forget! Participants bringing 100 bottle corks during the evening will receive a free bottle of Angheli. In fact, underway through November 30, 2011 is the 100 Corks and Uncork environmental sustainability campaign in collaboration with Amorim Cork, a leader not only in cork production but also in cork recycling for use in bio building.
When and Where:
Saturday, November 12, 2011, 7 to 10 p.m. Cantine Donnafugata: Via S.Lipari 18 – 91025 Marsala – Sicily
Public Relations:
Baldo M. Palermo [email protected] tel. 0039 0923 7242267
Laura Ellwanger [email protected] te. 0039 0923 724258